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Sam Armstrong
UK, piano
Sam was awarded funding towards the costs of creating promotional material and a new website. Originally from the UK, Sam studied piano in Manchester and Dublin before completing a Masters Degree in New York, where he is now based. He continues to perform internationally.
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Milica Djordjevic
Serbia, composition
A grant for this young composer from Serbia contributed to the costs of participating in the 2010 Acanthes Festival, masterclasses and composition workshops in Metz, France (see www.acanthes.com). On receiving the award, Milica writes: “many thanks for this grant, it really means a lot to me - it is a great honour…”
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Inga Fiolia
Russia/Germany, piano
Funding towards the costs of participating in the 2010 San Marino International Piano Competition was granted to this young Russian pianist. Inga recently became a member of the Menuhin “Live Music Now” programme, which offers performance opportunities over the next three years. For more information on her career and upcoming concerts, see Inga’s website at www.ingafiolia.com.
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Roberto Gomez-Ortiz
Mexico, voice - tenor
Roberto, a young tenor from Mexico, was awarded assistance with living costs during his second year on the MA Opera Course at the Royal Academy of Music in London (2010-11). Roberto, who is a former graduate of Mexico’s Escuela Superior de Musica, was the recent runner-up of the 2010 Clonter Opera Prize.
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Ivan Hovorun
Ukraine, piano
Funding towards the costs of purchasing a Yamaha upright piano was granted to Ivan Hovorun, a young pianist from Ukraine. Ivan is now based in the UK, where he is pursuing his postgraduate studies at the Royal Northern College of Music.
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InterPianoDuo
Poland, piano duo
This young piano duo from Poland was awarded help towards the costs of attending the San Marino International Piano Competition in September 2010. Hanna Tarchala and Kamil Turczyn have been performing together as the InterPianoDuo since 2007. They write: “thank you very much for this award from your Foundation which will help us develop our career – we are very grateful. Taking part in the San Marino Competition will be a great experience. It is a wonderful prize for us.”
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Jun Ishimura
Japan, piano
Japanese pianist Jun Ishimura was granted funding towards the cost of a series of intensive lessons with Fou Ts’ong. Currently based in London, where she continues to study and perform, Jun writes to thank the Foundation for the award: “I am really happy and honored to be awarded this grant from the Solti Foundation. I will keep working hard and make the award very useful and fruitful.” In the spring of 2010, Jun won second prize at the Takamatsu International Piano Competition in Japan.
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Susanna Kadzhoyan
Russia, piano
Susanna, who is currently pursuing her postgraduate studies in Cologne, Germany, attended the 2010 Holland International Music Sessions with help from this grant from the Solti Foundation. She writes: “thank you so much for everything that you have done for me. Your help is very much appreciated…” See Susanna’s website at www.susannakadzhoyan.narod.ru.
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Boyan Kolarov
Bulgaria, piano
This young pianist from Bulgaria received assistance to purchase a Kawai digital piano. Boyan writes: “there are no words to express my sincere happiness, joy and deep gratitude... I feel very flattered to be granted a scholarship and be part of the prestigious and world-renown Solti Foundation.” Boyan continues his studies in Sophia, where he is preparing his Doctoral degree.
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Denis Kozhukin
Russia, piano
This young Russian pianist, winner of the 2010 Queen Elisabeth International Piano Competition of Belgium, was awarded a grant towards the purchase of a Yamaha silent piano. Denis is currently pursuing his studies at the Hochschule für Musik in Stuttgart, Germany, and continues to perform internationally.
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Nina Lejderman
Sweden, voice - soprano
Nina received funding towards a series of extra singing lessons and vocal coaching in London, where she has been pursuing her postgraduate studies at the Royal Academy of Music. For more information about Nina, see www.operauk.com/lejderman.html.
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Ji Liu
China, piano
Ji, a young pianist from China, was awarded funding to contribute to the costs of participating in the 2010 Holland International Music Sessions. He also received assistance with competition entry fees for the 2010 Geneva International Music Competition. For more information about Ji see http://my.opera.com/liuji/about/.
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Claudio Lopes
Portugal, bassoon
This young bassoon player from Portugal received a contribution towards the costs of purchasing a new instrument. Claudio is currently based in Manchester, UK, where he recently completed a Masters Degree in Performance at the Royal Northern College of Music. On receiving the award Claudio writes: “I am delighted with the award from the Solti Foundation and would like to take this opportunity to thank you so much for your generous contribution.”
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Mihael Paar
Croatia, clarinet
A contribution towards the cost of purchasing a new clarinet was awarded to Mihael Paar from Croatia. Mihael, who has pursued his studies in Zagreb and at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg, continues to perform and record. For more information see his website at www.mihaelpaar.com.
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Tzvetina Panayotova
Bulgaria, violin
Tzvetina, who has studied in Sophia and at the Guildhall School of Music in London, received funding towards the cost of purchasing a violin. On receiving the award she writes: “I would like to express my enormous gratitude for being awarded a grant from the Solti Foundation. The project of buying my own violin has been my dream for many years. With your help I can now see this dream come true… I feel proud with one of the most precious awards in my life so far. Most of my plans for the near future are already fixed and it will be a great relief to think that I can accomplish them with my own violin.”
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Rachel Pritchard
UK, flute
Funding for a series of lessons with flautist Michael Cox was granted to Rachel Pritchard, a young flute player from the UK. Rachel is currently completing postgraduate studies at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. She performs solo and also with the Nicholson Flute Trio, which was formed in January 2009. She writes: “I would like to thank the Solti Foundation for this award - lessons with Michael Cox will be very beneficial to my development, and to have been deemed worthy of support is hugely encouraging.”
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Ricardo Ramos
Portugal, bassoon
Ricardo, a young bassoon player from Portugal, was granted funding towards the costs of purchasing a new instrument. Whilst continuing his postgraduate studies at the Musikhochschule in Lübeck, Germany, Ricardo also performs as solo bassoon with the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon.
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Alicja Smietana
Poland, violin
Alicja Smietana, a young violinist from Poland, was offered support with the organisation of a small recital in London. Following studies in Krakow and at the Guildhall School of Music in London, Alicja is currently continuing her postgraduate studies at the Kronberg Academy in Germany. She regularly performs as a soloist and chamber musician. See her website at www.alicjasmietana.com.
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Olga Stezhko
Belarus, piano
Help with travel costs to attend the 2010 Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition in Salt Lake City was granted to Olga Stezhko, a young pianist from Belarus. Olga is currently completing a Masters Degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Her website may be found at www.olgastezhko.com.
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Ildiko Szabo
Hungary, cello
This young Hungarian cellist was awarded assistance with travel costs to participate in the 2010 Summer String Academy at Indiana University in Bloomington, USA. Ildiko, who continues to perform internationally, writes with her thanks for the award, which she describes as “a great honour”. For more information about her career see http://www.peter-szabo.com/ildiko-szabo/en.
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Anton Torbeev
Russia, conductor
Funding towards the costs of participating in conducting masterclasses with Wolfgang Dörner at the 2010 International Summer Music Festival in Bucharest was granted to Anton Torbeev, a young conductor from Russia. Writing to express his thanks for the award, Anton, who is a student of the St. Petersburg State Academy, says: “participation in this such educational and cultural event will be particularly stimulating for my professional growth...”
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Altin Volaj
Albania, composer
This young Albanian composer, currently resident in the UK, was awarded a grant to assist with the costs of attending the 45th International Summer Courses for New Music in Darmstadt. Following studies in the US, Greece and Russia, Altin is currently composer in residence at Sussex University in Brighton, UK. For more information see www.societyofcomposers.org/user/altinvolaj.html.
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Miroslaw Witkowski
Poland, voice - bass
Miroslaw, a young operatic bass from Poland, was awarded assistance with the costs of attending the 2010 Solti Te Kanawa Accademia di Bel Canto in Grosseto, Italy. Additional funding was granted to participate in Masterclasses at the 2010 International Summer Academy at the University Mozarteum, Salzburg. He writes to say: “thank you for this great honour to be chosen as a recipient of your prestigious grant - it means a lot to me”. More information about Miroslaw, who is a graduate of Indiana University’s Jacobs School of Music, may be found at his website www.miroslaw-witkowski.com.
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Amit Yahav
Israel/Germany, piano
A grant to contribute to the costs of attending the 2010 Oxford Philomusica Piano Festival and Summer Academy was awarded to Amit Yahav, a young pianist from Israel. Currently resident in the UK, where he is pursuing his postgraduate studies at the Royal College of Music in London, Amit writes to convey his gratitude for the grant: “it is reassuring to know that even in these economically tough times, a Foundation like yours sees right to spend money on helping beginning artists like myself further a career in music. This grant … will provide me with the opportunity to study with leading artists and meet fellow pianists at the Oxford Piano Festival…”